TPSR 09

Chapter 09

I blinked in surprise.

“…Huh?”

“Cooking may look easy on the outside, but when you actually try it, it’s quite difficult for someone who isn’t used to it. Judging by the ingredients, it looks like you’re making something that uses fire—you won’t be able to manage it alone.”

Wait a second…

“You’re really going to help me?”

“Of course. It’ll turn out much better if we do it together.”

Her unexpected response left me slightly flustered. I had at least expected a suspicious look, if not outright questioning.

But Mia merely shrugged lightly, as if she even understood that reaction.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I’d suspect you, Your Highness?”

“Well….”

Of course.

I’m Lorea Friese.

Mia gave a good-natured smile.

“If Your Highness truly intended to do something to the master, you would have chosen a far more secretive and certain method than something this troublesome.”

She added that she was capable of making that much judgment herself.

“Am I wrong?”

“Well, no….”

I trailed off vaguely.

‘What is this? I didn’t even explain myself.’

Is it really alright to trust someone so easily?

Is she missing a screw somewhere?

I’m that Lorea Friese.

For some reason, my cheeks felt warm, and I found myself fiddling with my apron.

Being the emperor’s illegitimate daughter meant I had to prove my usefulness at every moment. I had lived that way for twenty years.

And after regressing and fleeing the imperial palace to step into the Grand Duke’s estate, I had been forced to prove my harmlessness instead.

So Mia’s attitude—asking nothing, suspecting nothing—felt strangely foreign.

While I fidgeted awkwardly, Mia cleaned the messy counter and cutting board, then brought fresh tomatoes.

“It feels a bit boastful to say this myself, but Mia’s cooking skills are quite excellent. I manage the master’s and the young master’s meals. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll gladly help.”

“Uh, I’m going to make eggplant rollatini.”

“Rollatini! Lovely choice. So that’s why you were trying to dice the tomatoes so small?”

“…Yeah. It’s harder than I thought.”

“It’s naturally hard at first. Watch how I do it.”

Mia stepped slightly aside so I could see the cutting board clearly and began chopping with dazzling skill.

The tomato I had struggled with for so long was neatly sliced into small cubes in an instant.

“Wow….”

She looked like some kind of master.

It wasn’t that it was easy—it just looked easy.

“Hehe, Your Highness. A bug might fly into your open mouth.”

Suddenly, a small piece of tomato popped into my mouth.

Instinctively, I closed my lips and bit down. Sweet and tangy tomato juice burst across my tongue.

“How is it? Delicious, isn’t it?”

“…Yeah.”

“The ingredients in the ducal estate are always kept fresh. Would you like another?”

Mia naturally brought another tomato piece to my lips.

After a brief hesitation, I accepted it.

Watching me chew, Mia beamed.

“You have more expressions than you appear to, Your Highness.”

“…Me?”

“Yes. Just now, you were very cute.”

“Cu—cute….”

What on earth is this head maid saying?

The only person in the world who had ever called me cute was the emperor—and even then, it had merely been coaxing words meant to placate me.

And objectively speaking, wasn’t my face closer to vicious than cute?

“You should be more careful with your words.”

“Oh my! Did I say something wrong? Thirteen is supposed to be a cute age.”

“That’s not what I meant—!”

I started to argue, then pressed my lips shut.

It didn’t seem like my words would get through anyway.

At my deflated reaction, Mia chuckled softly and held out the diced tomatoes.

“Is this small enough?”

“Yeah, that should be enough.”

“Then what next? Shall we grill the eggplant?”

“Oh, wait a moment.”

I hurried over and grabbed a few leaves I had washed earlier and set aside on the counter.

“Before grilling the eggplant, we have to cut and coat the outside with this.”

“Blue primrose?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

It was an edible herb I had picked from behind the estate before coming to the kitchen.

Blue primrose was common enough to be found anywhere in the empire, but when cooked together with eggplant, it helped detoxify the demonic energy lingering in the body.

Naturally, this was a method researched and used only within the imperial family, never disclosed to the public.

“The Grand Duke’s body is already weakened by demonic energy, so this will help. I know many other foods that are effective as well.”

“You truly know all sorts of things, Your Highness.”

“When it comes to demonic energy and purified stones, I know more than anyone except His Majesty the Emperor.”

I averted my gaze slightly as I answered.

For some reason, my conscience pricked at me.

The fact that I had known such methods before, yet had kept silent in order to sell purified stones.

Unaware—or perhaps aware—of my thoughts, Mia examined the leaves curiously and asked brightly,

“Should I mince the blue primrose and spread it on the outside?”

“Yes. Then grill it right away. After that we’ll make the sauce, though I’m not sure about the exact proportions.”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that.”

Using the ingredients I had haphazardly prepared, Mia skillfully made the sauce and completed the dish.

Before long, the kitchen was filled with a delicious aroma.

“There, it’s done.”

Mia pulled the plate out of the oven with a proud smile.

The dish had been completed in less than thirty minutes, and I couldn’t help but admire it.

‘I had expected to wander around confused for at least two hours.’

Meanwhile, after wiping the plate clean and arranging the food beautifully on a tray, Mia suddenly held out a sprig of herb to me.

“Hm?”

“Since it’s Your Highness’s dish, you should do the final garnish.”

She pointed to the center of the plate.

“…But you did all the cooking, Mia.”

“Oh my, I only lent my hands according to Your Highness’s instructions. Cooking is about heart and sincerity, after all.”

She gently waved the herb as if urging me.

‘Isn’t that just a pretty excuse?’

The thought popped into my head, but contrary to my mind, my hand moved first.

Hesitantly, I placed the herb atop the dish.

“Now it’s truly complete!”

Mia smiled brightly.

“…Yeah. It’s done.”

In truth, all I had done for thirty minutes was watch beside her, yet somehow I felt proud.

“The master usually has lunch in his office, but today he skipped it, saying he had no appetite. So if you bring this now, it’ll be perfect timing.”

Huh?

“I’m going?”

Not Mia?

I stared at her in bewilderment.

She tilted her head as if asking what the problem was.

“It’s Your Highness’s creation, so you should deliver it yourself.”

But I didn’t really do anything.

“No, but still—”

“Hurry now. He must be hungry.”

Mia was relentless.

Before I could refuse, she pushed me out of the kitchen.

By the time I regained my senses, I was already standing in the hallway outside, apron removed, tray in hand.

“I have to start preparing dinner now. Off you go, Your Highness.”

Mia even waved at me cheerfully.

“Wait, Mia—”

“I’ll be cheering for you.”

Before I could finish speaking, she slipped back into the kitchen.

‘…You’re really sending me off like this?’

Left alone, I couldn’t hide my disbelief.

Even stranger was how I kept getting swept along by Mia’s actions every time.

After staring blankly at the tray for a moment, I let out a deep sigh and started walking.